The AMA DISC Survey

88 Pages·2010·3.38 MB·English

The AMA DISC Survey(cid:153)
Facilitator(cid:146)s Manual
AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
Copyright ' 2000, Center for Applied Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The AMA DISC Survey(cid:153)
American Management Association.
Copyright ' 2000 Center for Applied Research, Inc.
The AMA DISC Survey was developed by Robert A. Cooke, Ph.D. and is based on
Dr. William M. Marston(cid:146)s D.I.S.C. model of personal styles.
Facilitator(cid:146)s Manual developed by Janet L. Szumal, Ph.D., and Robert A. Cooke, Ph.D.
ISBN: 978-0-8144-7087-9
Contents
Sections
Introduction .................................................................1
Administering and Scoring the Survey ........................9
Providing a Basic Debriefing .....................................13
Providing an Expanded Debriefing ............................19
Using theDebriefing Guide .......................................29
Appendixes
A: Survey Norms and Reliability ....................................39
B: Sample Program Designs .........................................47
C: Transparency Masters ..............................................57
D: Frequently Asked Questions .....................................79

Introduction
The AMA DISC Survey
The AMA DISC Survey is a personal styles survey that focuses
on the ways in which people approach their work and relate to
others within their organizations. The survey is based on William
Marston(cid:146)s D.I.S.C. framework1 and measures four basic styles of
behavior: Directing, Influencing, Supportive, and Contemplative.
Each of the styles measured by The AMA DISC Surveyhas its
strong points as well as possible weaknesses. Thus, none of the
styles measured by the survey are inherently better or worse
than the others. More importantly, all of the styles can contribute
to (or potentially detract from) the effective functioning of groups
and organizations.
The AMA DISC Surveytakes approximately 30 to 40 minutes to
administer, score, and debrief. ADebriefing Guideaccompanies
the survey and can be used to facilitate more extensive discus-
sion, interpretation, and application of the survey results.
1
2 u The AMA DISC Survey Facilitator(cid:146)s Manual
The Advantages of Using
The AMA DISC Survey
In addition to The AMA DISC Survey, a number of personal style
assessment systems and surveys have been developed based
on Marston(cid:146)s D.I.S.C. framework. These include DiSC(cid:153) (Carlson
Learning Systems), Relationship Insights (LifeQueste), discusfi
(Axiom Software), and Professional Dynametric Programs (Four
Corners). As shown in the table below, these D.I.S.C. systems
and surveys focus on similar styles, though the names of the
styles differ.
D I S C
William Marston Dominance Inducement Submission Compliance
(Integrative Psychology,
1931)
The AMA DISC Survey(cid:153) Directing Influencing Supportive Contemplative
(American Management
Association)
DiSC(cid:153) Dominance Influence Steadiness Conscientious-
(Carlson Learning ness
Systems)
Relationship Insights Dominant/ Influencing/ Steady/ Compliant/
(LifeQueste) Driver Inspiring Stable Correct
discusfi Dominance Influence Steadiness Compliance
(Axiom Software)
Professional Dynametric Dominance Extroversion Pace/ Structure/
Programs Patience Detail
(Four Corners)
D.I.S.C. Systems, Surveys, and Styles
The AMA DISC Survey(American Management Association) has
Survey Features
several unique features that provide distinct advantages over
u Work-related alternative personal style assessments. These include:
u Reliable and valid
The Survey is explicitly oriented toward work-related behav-
u Self-scoring
iors. The instructions and the items make it clear that respon-
u Efficient
dents should focus on their on-the-job behavior within their
current organizations. This helps to eliminate confusion about
whether they should answer in terms of work or non-work
behaviors.
The Survey is designed to enhance reliability and validity.
The AMA DISC Surveypresents items one at a time so that
respondents can evaluate each item in a way that is not affected
1 u Introduction 3
by the other items. This design minimizes potential contamination
in survey responses and meets accepted standards of instrument
construction and validation. In contrast, certain other personal
style surveys present items in sets of four and ask respondents
to indicate which of the items are most and least like them. Such
forced-choice techniques (referred to asipsative measures) arti-
ficially eliminate information about the true strength of individual
characteristics and violate assumptions that must be met to sta-
tistically test the measure.2 The reliability and validity of The AMA
DISC Survey is described in Appendix A of this manual and in
Appendix 1 of theDebriefing Guide.
The Survey is printed on NCR (no carbon required) paper.
This type of paper automatically transfers participants(cid:146) responses
to a sheet that describes how to score and profile the results.
Since the scoring sheet is glued to the sheet on which the ques-
tions appear, participants do not know the implications of their
answers until after they have completed the survey and have
separated the scoring sheet from the response sheet. This fea-
ture helps to minimize contamination in responses while, at the
same time, enables respondents to score and profile their results.
(In contrast, surveys that use (cid:147)scratch-off(cid:148) or (cid:147)magic pen(cid:148) tech-
niques inadvertently provide respondents with insights into their
answers that can influence, and, therefore, threaten the validity
of, their subsequent responses.)
The Survey provides an efficient way for people to learn
about their styles. On average, it takes respondents a total of
20 to 25 minutes to complete the survey, calculate their scores,
and plot the results on a bar chart. A basic debriefing of the
results can be provided in approximately 10 to 15 minutes. A
more extensive debriefing, that incorporates the Debriefing Guide
and includes a more sophisticated plotting method that enables
people to understand their underlying orientations, can be con-
ducted in 1‰ to 2… hours.
The AMA DISC Survey
Debriefing Guide
The AMA DISC Surveycomes with aDebriefing Guidethat
Debriefing Guide
includes seven modules, each of which take approximately 5 to
Features
10 minutes to complete. The Debriefing Guide provides facilita-
u Informative
tors and respondents with a variety of options for understanding
u Interactive and applying The AMA DISC Survey.
u Developmental
The Guide provides interpretations of dominant styles, as
u Flexible
well as style combinations. The AMA DISC Survey Debriefing
Guide contains interpretations for single styles and combina-
tions of styles. Thus, participants should be able to find informa-
4 u The AMA DISC Survey Facilitator(cid:146)s Manual
tion that is relevant to understanding their own unique set
of results.
The Guideencourages participants to apply the information
presented. Each module guides participants in using the infor-
mation they(cid:146)ve acquired to better understand themselves and to
identify ways of enhancing their personal and interpersonal effec-
tiveness.
The Guideenables participants to examine the positive and
negative aspects of their styles.The AMA DISC Survey
measures both productive and counterproductive aspects of each
style. While results along these aspects are combined when
respondents initially plot their results, the Debriefing Guide
contains scoring options that allow respondents to examine the
productive versus counterproductive aspects of their styles.
The Guide is oriented toward self-development. The initial
modules of theDebriefing Guidehelp participants to better under-
stand their current styles. Subsequent modules guide them in
developing strategies for adjusting their styles and enhancing
their personal and interpersonal effectiveness.
The Guide can be used in a number of ways. For example,
the Debriefing Guide can be used during the training program
(as exercises or as part of the debriefing) or as a follow-up
assignment. Each module contains an overview and instructions
and therefore can be completed without a facilitator present.
Alternatively, the modules can serve as the basis for various
group activities, as described in Section 5 of this manual.
Additionally, you can opt to have participants complete only a
subset of the modules during your program, depending on your
time frame and training objectives.
When to Use The AMA DISC
Survey
The AMA DISC Surveyis designed and intended to be used
exclusively for individual, group, and organizational develop-
ment. (The survey is not designed nor normed for employee
selection or appraisal purposes.) The survey is equally suitable
for managers, work group or team members, and individual con-
tributors. The personal styles measured by the survey are rele-
vant to programs focusing on personal development, problem
solving and decision making, time management, interpersonal
relations, conflict management, team building, and organization-
al change.
1 u Introduction 5
Using theSurvey to Improve Personal Effectiveness.The
Uses
AMA DISC Surveyprovides insights on people(cid:146)s orientations, pri-
u Personal orities, and motives in carrying out their work. Such insights can
development help participants to understand why they are more effective in
u Problem solving and carrying out some tasks than others. In turn, participants can
decision making identify situations in which they could modify their personal styles
to improve the way they organize and carry out their work, man-
u Time management
age time, solve problems, and supervise the work of others.
u Interpersonal
relations
Using theSurvey to Improve Interpersonal and Team
u Conflict management Effectiveness. The AMA DISC Survey provides insights regard-
u Team building ing roles, communication styles, and likely sources of frustration
when interacting with others. It can also help participants to
u Organizational
understand the personal styles of those with whom they interact.
change
Such insights enable participants to recognize why some inter-
personal and group interactions are more rewarding than others.
Participants can use these insights to identify how and with whom
they can modify their personal styles to resolve conflicts and
improve interpersonal and team effectiveness.
Using theSurvey to Improve Organizational Effectiveness.
The AMA DISC Surveyprovides insights regarding problem solv-
ing and decision making approaches, preferred work environ-
ments, and areas for development. Such insights enable
participants to recognize situations in which their current style is
likely to be an asset. Participants can also identify conditions
under which they should modify their styles (or seek out others
who have a style that will complement their own).
Incorporating The AMA DISC
Survey into Your Training Program
This manual provides you with the information needed to plan
and facilitate a training and development program that includes
The AMA DISC Survey. The basic activities involved in adminis-
tering, scoring, and debriefing the survey are described, along
with approximate time frames and suggestions for program
designs. The basic activities and time frames are listed on the
next page, along with the sections in this manual in which the
activities are discussed.
6 u The AMA DISC Survey Facilitator(cid:146)s Manual
Manual
Time Activity Section
10 to 15
Administer The AMA DISC Survey 2
minutes
5 to 10
Score and plot the results 2
minutes
10 to 15 Provide a basic debriefing of the
3
minutes results
35 to 50 Provide an expanded debriefing of
4
minutes the results (optional)
5 to 10
Complete the modules in the
minutes per 5
Debriefing Guide (optional)
module
Basic Activities and Time Frames
The AMA DISC Survey can be used as a 40-minute introduction
to personal styles, or it can be used as the basis for a half-day
session on personal, interpersonal, team, or organizational devel-
opment. Appendix B presents a number of suggested program
designs for using The AMA DISC Surveyto accomplish different
objectives. A set of transparency masters is contained in
Appendix C.
In preparing to facilitate a program that includes The AMA DISC
Survey, you may first want to complete the survey yourself. Doing
so will help you to better understand the survey and anticipate
some of the questions that participants are likely to ask. In addi-
tion, you may want to review the appendixes that address the
survey(cid:146)s norms and reliability (Appendix A) and provide answers
to frequently asked questions (Appendix D).